Toni Kroos gave Bayern Munich an early lead over Arsenal in their Champions League matchup.

The Journal provides minute-by-minute analysis of the first leg of this Champions League Round of 16 matchup between Bayern Munich and Arsenal. Joshua Robinson offers commentary on the match from Emirates Stadium in North London.

Welcome to the Emirates Stadium in North London, where this Champions League Round of 16 matchup pits two teams at opposite ends of the confidence spectrum: Bayern Munich and Arsenal. Arsenal, reeling from its embarrassing FA Cup exit to second-tier Blackburn, is trying to prevent its season from collapsing entirely. Bayern, which has been just trouncing opponents in Germany, is out to remind people that this tournament isn’t just about Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Some of the more pessimistic Arsenal supporters worry that this may be the last Champions League actionat Emirates Stadium for a while — and it very well could be if Arsenal is eliminated and doesn’t overtake Tottenham for fourth place in the Premier League by the end of the season. (Only the Premier League’s top four qualify for next year’s Champions League.) The tension around the club was summed up in manager Arsène Wenger’s testy news conference yesterday when he blew his top at reporters in defending his 16-year record at the club. “We are underdogs, yes. You just have to read the English press and you understand that,” Wenger said.

But it’s hard to deny that Bayern enters this two-legged series heavily favored. There are enough stats that describe Bayern’s defensive prowess to make your head spin. But the one that is scaring Arsenal fans most is the club’s record since German soccer returned from its winter break: Bayern has won its last five league games by a combined score of 13-0. In fact, the club has only conceded seven goals in the Bundesliga through 22 games this season, putting it firmly on pace to break the German record of 21 goals conceded in a 34-game campaign. Bayern has been so solid defensively that goalkeeper Manuel Neuer joked yesterday that sometimes, he didn’t even have to shower after games.

Of course, Bayern isn’t just about defense. Its attacking machine — which features the likes of Germany national team players Mario Gomez and Bastian Schweinsteiger, Netherlands international Arjen Robben and France winger Franck Ribery — is pretty spectacular, too. The German side had nine different goalscorers in its six games in the group stage of the Champions League.

Still, the clubs have this in common: They are both playing with a chip on their shoulder. Last year’s penalty-shootout defeat to Chelsea in the final continues to sting Bayern. And Arsenal knows that its only path into the 2013-2014 Champions League might very well be to win this edition.

Speaking of Neuer, you’re likely to hear a fair amount about Neuer’s special four-fingered glove tonight. His glove manufacturer sewed two of the fingers together on the right hand so that his bruised fingers could be taped to each other inside it. It’s actually not a big deal, contrary to what the British papers will have you believe. Goalies do this all the time, including Spain and Real Madrid’s Iker Casillas who has played with a four-fingered glove since the 2006 World Cup.

Bayern, meanwhile, can afford to start with the likes of Mario Gomez, Arjen Robben, and Xherdan Shaqiri on the bench. It’ll be Mario Mandzukic leading the line for the visitors. The lineup, also in a 4-2-3-1: Neuer (GK); Lahm, Van Buyten, Dante, Alaba; Schweinsteiger, Javi Martinez; Ribery, Kroos, Muller; Mandzukic.

Bayern’s brought a solid contingent of fans to London, many of them actually wearing lederhosen (which is just wonderful). And they’re already in full voice, waving red and white flags (which is just confusing, since those are also Arsenal’s colors). With three minutes to kickoff, they’ve also set off their first flare. Feels more like a German stadium already.

Positive start from Arsenal. After some neat work by Sagna and Arteta down the right side, Cazorla finds enough room to break and send in a low cross. But it doesn’t clear the first man and Schweinsteiger’s toe is enough to keep it out of danger.

Arsene Wenger said yesterday that it was absolutely “vital” for Arsenal to keep a clean sheet tonight, even if it meant taking a 0-0 tie to Germany for the second leg. That’s gone out the window now. And it’s Bayern that has an all-important away goal. Bayern worked a good cross from the right, missing an Arsenal defender, and Toni Kroos was at the top of the box to knock the half-volley past Szczesny.

Despite the pressure, Arsenal is still looking to create opportunities on the break and they’re finding space on the right side. Walcott’s pace will be a big part of the game plan — the last two Arsenal moves have gone through him.

Bayern was almost in there as Mertesacker gives the ball away to Javi Martinez in his own third. Martinez finds Mandzukic, but the attack is only briefly repelled. Long enough for Vermaelen to give away a free kick, and earn a yellow card, about 25 yards from goal.

Ribery, who started the game on the left, is now cropping up on the right side and in central positions for Bayern and causing problems. It’ll be interesting to see if he continues to test Arsenal’s makeshift left back, Thomas Vermaelen. (Certainly a better option than going up against Sagna on the opposite side.)

Arsenal really hasn’t changed much about the way it’s playing since going 2-0 down. They’re still trying to play through Walcott up the middle and, at times, trying their luck down the right, but they haven’t produced a worthwhile final ball all night. Walcott’s poor attempt to find Cazorla just now is the latest example.

A rare mistake by Schweinsteiger gives Arsenal possession deep in the Bayern half and, once again, it goes nowhere. A moment before that, Mandzukic reminded Arsenal how dangerous Bayern can be on the break, too (on top of everything else) by streaking 60 yards along the line with the ball at his feet.

Sagna combines with Cazorla on the Arsenal right, but when Cazorla crosses, Lukas Podolski is the only red shirt in the Bayern box. Hard to believe that Arsenal is still being so cautious while trailing 2-0.

A gift from Bayern! Alaba slips deep into his own half and coughs up the ball to Sagna, who passes to an unmarked Walcott in the penalty area. But Walcott seems almost surprised to get it and goes backwards. You can imagine where it went from there. Arsenal lost the ball.

Arsenal’s actually had some decent possession the last couple minutes, but Bayern is just so organized in defense. You can look across the field and watch the defenders almost move in lockstep with one another when they don’t have the ball.

More decent possession from Arsenal has the fans howling at Arteta to shoot. But it hasn’t happened yet. In fact, Neuer hasn’t had a serious save to make in this game. Maybe he wasn’t kidding yesterday when he said that being Bayern’s goalkeeper could be boring.

Wilshere charges through middle, beating a couple of Bayern players, only to be brought down on the edge of the box. No free kick. One note from earlier, though. The big screen inside the Emirates incorrectly attributed a yellow card to Muller. It was in fact for Schweinsteiger, meaning he will miss the return leg. At this rate, Bayern may not need him.

That’ll do it for the first half as boos ring out around the stadium. Arsenal has been bright in patches, but Bayern has been generally brilliant. From its impressive defensive work to its clinical finishing, it’s pretty clear why the German side is running away with the German league. Classy stuff. Arsenal will need to make some serious changes in the second half, though there isn’t much by way of support from the bench. Perhaps Giroud’s physical presence could make a difference.

But Arsenal fans will remember another Champions League comeback here from two years ago. The Gunners came from 2-0 down against Barcelona to draw 2-2. It’ll take something equally special.

Just now getting a chance to see multiple replays of the second Bayern goal, when Van Buyten headed toward goal at the near post, Szczesny pushed the ball in front of him and Muller was on hand to clean up the rebound. The discussion for Arsenal will once again center on the question of zonal marking on set pieces. Will Arsenal ever get the hang of it? And should they be doing it at all? Van Buyten was all but free with no defender specifically assigned to pick him up. Then, once Arsenal gave up that first header, there were always going to be problems.

Bayern, to its credit, is still swinging here early in the second half. Schweinsteiger has started a little more advanced, while Kroos and Muller are marauding up top. A couple of times already, they’ve threatened to add a third. If Schweinsteiger had seen Muller to his right a moment ago, Muller would have had a clear view of goal.

Feeding off scraps, Arsenal earned a corner. Wilshere whipped it in from the right side and Neuer came to claim it but never got close. It bounced at the top of the six yard box where Podolski was on hand to head home against his former club.

Two half-chances go begging for Arsenal. First, a through ball just gets away from Wilshere on the right side of the penalty area. Then Podolski’s shot is blocked. The goal has injected a little life back into this Arsenal side, but not yet enough to really worry Bayern in open play.

An excellent move leads to an opening on the right for Philipp Lahm to cross. The ball popped up in the six-yard box from a botched clearance and Mandzukic was there to bundle it home. That should do it for tonight, and probably for Arsenal’s hunt for a trophy this season.

Feels a little like we’re running out the clock now. Although, last time I typed that the game was getting bogged down, Bayern came up with the third goal. Shows that Bayern doesn’t care — they seem to just turn it on.

Lovely interchange from Bayern on the right side — they’re trying backheels now — and they’re perfectly content to hang onto the ball. Then, when they lose it, they’re so quick to get on top of Arsenal that they can barely pass it forward. This is how you close out a game.

Once again, the Bayern section is jumping. Arsenal counters with a “We love you, Arsenal” chant, but it probably won’t sound that way in the morning. The criticism that was piled on Wenger and the club after Saturday’s defeat will get even louder — right along with the “Wenger Out” sentiment among sections of the fans.

Bayern absorbs what little pressure Arsenal can provide at this stage. Tightly bunched on the edge of their penalty area, the defenders easily stop what could be the final attack from Arsenal, never leaving room for a shot.

This tie is all but settled, even before the second leg is played in Munich. Because of Bayern’s three away goals, Arsenal will need to score at least three times in Germany, since even a 2-0 victory wouldn’t see the Gunners through.

The few detractors that Bayern might have had before tonight, meanwhile, were effectively silenced by a nearly flawless performance: solid in the back (outside of Neuer’s mistake, which led to the Arsenal goal), organized in midfield, deadly in attack. In the end, Bayern had six shots on target, but converted three of them. Expect the German side, almost certainly into the quarterfinals, to be among the favorites to win the whole thing in the morning.

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